Saturday 21 September – Sunday 22 September – Hanoi
Saturday 21 September
Up at 8.00am, and downstairs to go through the motions of breakfast, with a little bacon to deal with the protein side of things, followed up with some fruit, to cover the plant component which makes it all that little bit healthier.
A chat with Jenny, and then out around 9.00am to do something about a frame for Lisa’s drawing.
The easy option of using the place from last year is taken, so we make our way up Hang Bong, being forced to stop twice.
Once to watch a drop saw, hanging from the end of a rope, being pulled up the side of a building to the second floor.
While it’s accurate to say pulled, the word ‘bounced’, could also be used, as it continually clanged into the building on its way up, much to the chagrin of both the man above, and the man below.
The second forced stop was to watch half a dozen men standing around an open pit, now minus its manhole cover.
Ordinarily, not overly interesting. But when it’s in the middle of a pretty busy intersection, with traffic still whizzing by, well, proof we ain’t in Australia anymore.
Discussion of the job at hand…..
Over Dien Bien Phu, with the belief being that it’s not far past that.
I’m wrong, and while it all looks a little familiar, I can’t see the framing shop.
We continue on, and then find ourselves on the other side of the railway line.
It doesn’t feel right at all, and I’m kind of lost.
Bearings are regained, and we make our way back to where my diminishing memory tells me it should be.
It’s still not there, so doubting my memory, I come up with the ingenious idea of finding the photos I took when we were last here.
Sure enough, it is Hang Bong, and even better, we’re actually standing in the right spot.
Unfortunately, though, the frame shop is no more.
Part of me is pleased that I was right, while a lot of me is extremely disappointed that it’s gone.
Lisa, however, is actually happy.
Apparently, it’s a sign, as she’s unhappy with the darkness of the picture, and was reluctant to get it framed today anyway.
She is of the opinion that she can ‘fix’ it, and once she does, we can work on the frame side of things, which, with our Hanoi time fast running out, will likely be when we get back to Saigon.
Wonderful…..
Back down Hang Bong, and spotting a mobile phone store, I head in.
Screen protector 120 000 Dong, and as luck would have it, a phone cover is also 120 000 Dong.
Done!, and five minutes later, and without the use of a cigarette lighter, my phone has a new look.
Our walk continues, and in the interest of aimless walking, we head off to the left.
But we don’t get far, as we come across a small café, with a couple of seats out the front.
Two càphê nâu đá’s are promptly ordered, and the incredibly friendly lady immediately responds with, “Ahhh, nâu đá!”
It makes me far happier than it probably should.
The coffees are not only on the large side, but they’re also really good, even coming with complimentary trà đá’s.
World watched, and coffees done (19 000 Dong each), we head off, finding ourselves on the road that runs beside the train line.
Café after café, after restaurant after restaurant, line the track, all decked out in bright colours and strings of fairy lights.
I like trains, and I even like train lines, but my desire to sit there with the masses, is less than zero.
The whole thing comes with a number of touts down on the street, all trying to entice potential customers to their establishments.
An older woman tries her luck on us, asking if we’d like a coffee.
I reply that we’ve just had one, to which she responds, “Beer?”
I laugh, and tell her it’s a bit early.
She follows up with, “Wine?”
Again, I laugh, and politely decline her offer.
She was actually really nice, and I did admire her persistence.
One small part of it.
On we go, stopping briefly to watch a woman breaking up a heavy duty safe on the side of the road, using just a steel rod and a hammer.
Down in the very general direction of Dong Xuan market, finding Halloween street, polystyrene street, various decorations street, and then finally crockery, cutlery and glassware street.
Getting in early.
The amount of stuff out on display is hard to comprehend, and I always find it difficult to imagine if even half of it will ever sell.
We find ourselves in a narrow lane, and then somehow manage to come across another entrance to Long Bien station. A quick 3000 Dong toilet stop, and back towards Dong Xuan.
Finding my scrap metal guy from last year, the opportunity is taken to once again peruse his wares, in the hope of adding to the two slightly unusual bottle openers that I purchased from him last time I was here.
Unfortunately, it only results in dirty hands; it is scrap metal / rubbish after all; and a lung full of smoke, with thanks to the fire that he is feeding fake money into.
Into Dong Xuan, just because we’re close, and while it’s not terribly busy, it is abundantly clear that it is now very much on the radar of foreign tourists.
Back outside, the hardware section is found, which I always love, and then down the nearby street market, ending up at the Old Quarter Gate.
The hardware part. And in it, the key guy.
Out onto the busy road, and past the rather confronting sight of a paraplegic dog, dragging his hind legs behind him.
While it was sad to see, he seemed to just take it all in his stride, for want of a much better, and probably far more appropriate, word.
Having just clicked over 12.00pm, and knowing at some point in the not too distant future that I’m going to be reminded, I ask the question of the intrepid one, after coming across of a very busy, and very local, restaurant.
She agrees, slightly warily, and once they rearrange a few things, we quickly find ourselves seated on the footpath.
It’s a dumpling soup with pork, along with some other bits and pieces, and while it’s very good, it’s made even gooder with a price of only 40 000 Dong.
Lunch done, along with a trà đá each (5000 Dong), we head back into the Old Quarter and down to Hoan Kiem Lake.
It never gets boring seeing stuff like this.
Up to the Northern end, and past the usual sights that seem to now be a weekly thing, of something being set up, only to then be dismantled a day or two later, once whatever the occasion is finished.
Down to the southern end, and it’s very quiet, with very few around, and only a handful of those remote control cars.
Lunch time? Siesta?
Or are weekends around the lake now a much more subdued affair?
I don’t know.
Up the eastern side, and I’m starting to struggle, with achy muscles, and a general feeling of unwellness.
Past a mid-autumn type expo thing, with people queueing up to have their photos taken with a stuffed Chin-Su sauce bottle.
Build it and they will come……
Over to, and up, Optical street, and then back to the Emerald. Eight and half kilometres, apparently, with it right now feeling more like eighty.
Much needed rest and recovery session had, and then back out around 3.00pm for a nước mía đá (10 000 Dong) and a pineapple juice (20 000 Dong), from our guy around the corner.
We head off, with no specific plan of where, but that then changes when Lisa announces that she just wants to sit down somewhere.
“Okay, we’ll go down to the lake again”, which is not the response she wanted to hear.
She wants to sit somewhere closer, so I ask which of the many street and park benches you see dotted around The Old Quarter, would she would like to sit on?
I’m met with silence, and the walk to the lake begins.
We’ve been away three weeks now, we’ve had the odd issue at different times this trip, I’m now not, once again, feeling that great, and I suspect all of those things are now adding up to impact marital happiness and harmony.
Sitting eventually achieved, along with the much needed drinks, and then it’s back up Bao Khanh, towards St. Joseph’s.
I’m struggling, to the point that the nước mía đá, and probably also the dumpling soup, could possibly make a reappearance.
I finally get asked if I’m okay? I can’t, or perhaps I’m not prepared, to answer that.
Down to the Emerald, I keep walking, leaving Lisa to do whatever it is that she does.
Up Stainless Steel Street, and while I seriously consider turning back, I push on.
Into Bat Dan, and then onto my happy place, that doesn’t feel quite as happy as it usually does.
First beer goes down okay, and then my woman from last year arrives.
Finally, she looks in my direction, and gives me an acknowledging smile.
“You work here?”, she asks.
“No, just holidaying”, is my response.
“First time?”
“No, here last year as well.”
She replies, “I remember you”, which instantly improves, albeit temporarily, my current outlook on life.
Viet Willie arrives, also giving me a smile, and I settle in to the usual Bat Dan scenes.
Pyjama guy, the rubbish ladies, the hạt dẻ guy and his microwave, but I’m in trouble, and now in survival mode.
I go to the toilet, with the fear that my stomach muscles could start controlling my short term destiny, but it doesn’t happen.
I return to my beer, and with tipping beer out highly frowned upon by my religion, I force it down.
It stays there, but I’m not sure for how long.
Not wanting to take a chance, the decision is made that I’m probably better off not being here.
Money is hastily procured and clipped to my beer tab, accidentally inserting more than the asking amount, due to panic that I may run out of time, and I do a runner.
Down Bat Dan, a guy in a Grab helmet offers me a massage opportunity; not a good time!; and into Stainless Steel Street.
So far so good.
Well, it is, until I get stuck behind a guy wheeling his suitcase.
The opportunity to cross the road finally presents itself, and as I go to do that, he too decides that that is also his preference.
I don’t allow that to happen.
Into the Emerald, and into the lift.
I get a text from Vietjet, which always fills me with trepidation.
Our 8.45am flight to Can Tho on Tuesday, has now been moved forward to 6.10am.
6.10am!
And that equates to getting up at what time?
Sigh……, the day that just keeps on giving……
Into the room, and onto the bed.
Lay for a bit, then the toilet calls.
It’s not good, so two gastro tablets are taken.
Back to the bed, and more just laying there.
Toilet calls again, but now things appear to be on the improve.
The stomach pains have dissipated, and while I’m still a little fragile, I’m hoping that the worst may be over.
I’m also starting to think that the gastro tablets may be the silver bullet, after they seemed to have saved me a couple of times already, this trip.
Quick shower, and with a bit of rain about, we head out with ponchos and a borrowed umbrella.
Up Stainless Steel Street, and we end up at a phở gà place on the corner, with the hope that chicken soup will be good for me.
The phở (35 000 Dong) is good, and the warm 333 beer (20 000 Dong), made cold with ample đá, actually goes down okay.
Up Bat Dan, making use of the umbrella, and we’re quickly back doing the usual.
Several Google Translate chats with Thien, with one of them apologising for leaving so abruptly. He’s such a lovely guy, and I’m really not looking forward to saying goodbye to him in a few days.
I make use of the toilet, and it’s rather crowded.
A local asks where I’m from, and after letting him know, he wants to continue the conversation.
Unfortunately, the ‘Where you from?’ question is the limit of his English, and with me only occasionally successful when asking for a coffee in Vietnamese, the conversation comes to an abrupt end.
He walks out, and as he passes me while I’m still doing my thing, he playfully taps me on the bum.
It’s something that, ordinarily, wouldn’t usually worry me, but having it done while in a toilet, especially while doing what I’m doing, well, yeah…..
Lisa heads off around 9.30pm, and with the rain now gone, she takes the ponchos and umbrella with her.
Another beer, and as I too contemplate making a move, it starts raining again.
Lightly at first, before then absolutely bucketing down.
I ain’t going anywhere, so I do the only thing you can do when sitting in a beer place, and order another.
It eventually eases, so decide to make a run.
Down to Stainless Steel Street, and into my convenience store.
Linh gives me a big smile. It’s good to see her again.
We have a chat, and yes, the other guy is her brother, and then a brief Vietnamese lesson when she says my beers are sáu mươi.
“Ahhhh, sixty?”
I’m correct, and she is rather impressed.
Back to the Emerald, no Bee Gees discussion with Lam tonight, but he does roll his eyes when he sees my beers, and then upstairs for the same old on the bed, with a fair amount of contemplation on our day.
The highs and lows of this trip. We’ve certainly had some good times, but gee, there’s also been a bit we’ve had to deal with.
It almost feels like they outnumber the highs we’ve had.
It’s frustrating, and not for the first time, I’m questioning how we go about it all.
Yes, we’re probably more adventurous than we’ve ever been, but at the same time, we’re not really taking any more ‘risks’ than we have over the last few years.
I don’t know, it’s really becoming a struggle.
No real plans tomorrow, apart from catching up with a friend of a friend, who we’ve never met.
Her name is Wendy, and she’s good friends with Gary, who we’ve met a couple of times while here in Vietnam.
A fellow Aussie, Wendy is in Hanoi for a few days, and Gary thought it might be nice if we caught up.
No problem, and after three weeks, it will be nice to hear a different voice, which I think Lisa will be even more pleased about than me.
Bed at 12.00am.
Too late again….
Sunday 22 September
Up, reluctantly, at 8.30am.
So lethargic.
And so much going through my mind. Including the fact that we only have two full days left in Hanoi.
It annoys me that I’m counting, but on the positive, I actually feel alright.
Downstairs at 9.00am, a small plate of fruit, a chat with Kate, and then outside by 9.30am.
It’s very grey and overcast, and while the rather heavy rain I’d heard during the night is no more, it is still drizzling.
But not enough to worry about ponchos.
Down to lake, and a fair amount of the stuff that was being set up yesterday, has already been dismantled.
Turns out it was for a marathon, and there’s still a few runners around.
I’m not really a runner, and apart from a bit of a jog from awning to awning to limit getting wet in the rain, I can’t ever imagine having a desire to run in Hanoi. Or anywhere in Vietnam.
But as far as other people go, the whole area is very quiet, to the point that I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it this quiet. And that includes yesterday, as well.
Just one of the temporary structures.
I get a message from Wendy, and arrangements are made to meet up at her hotel.
A bit more walking around the lake, and then up Lo Su, in the general direction of where she’s staying.
Finding her out the front, and with her not knowing a whole lot about Hanoi, I play tour guide, by suggesting Café Giang, seeing as we’re not far from it.
We’re soon there, and we make our way in.
It’s packed, to the point that it’s a struggle to get up the stairs, so the pin is swiftly pulled, and the Café Giang idea is aborted.
I doubt I’ll ever walk that dark and narrow passage again.
Back out and into the café next door. A smoothie for Wendy, a coconut coffee for Lisa, and a càphê nâu đá for me, that finally arrives after it’s ordered for the second time.
We sit and chat, which not surprisingly, is mainly about Vietnam, and it was interesting to hear a fair bit about Hoi An, where Wendy has spent a considerable amount of time.
Drinks done, we head off for a walk, with the loose plan of possibly changing some money.
Turning left into the first street we come to, we get lucky. It’s the far end of Hang Bac Street, which is the home of all the gold / jewellery shops.
Wendy asks the rate at a nearby shop, and the quote is 16 400 Dong to one Australian dollar.
XE.com is currently saying 16 740, so we walk on.
Up to my place from the last couple of years, and after joining the queue, the rate offered is 16 630.
Deal done, and after Wendy changes some, my five one hundred dollar notes are converted into 40 x 200 000 Dong notes, along with 3 x 100 000, 1 x 10 000 and 1 x 5000.
It’s always a stretch for the wallet, but made even more difficult this time, due to the fact that he’s run out of 500 000 Dong notes.
It’s all put through his note counting machine, and then checked by Lisa, who is a note counting expert.
He’s impressed with her skill and speed.
We head back down towards the lake, leaving Wendy near the big roundabout.
It was a fun hour or so, and it was nice to catch up with someone who is also passionate about Vietnam.
Back up to Hang Manh, stopping at a small pharmacy to stock up on gastro tablets.
An empty packet is shown, and straight away she knows, handing over ten tablets for 40 000 Dong.
We make our way up to Banh My Mama’s, but finding a sea of people already with the same idea in mind, that, like Café Giang, is aborted.
Into the laneways nearby, and past a number of possibilities, all of which are dismissed by the intrepid one.
I really don’t enjoy this game……
Onto the road that our laundry place is on, and we eventually have a winner, which may have been a place we went to a couple of years ago.
They’re incredibly busy, but as soon as they see our interest, we’re escorted into a room out the back.
Phở bò for me, fried rice for Lisa (both 40 000 Dong), and a trà đá (5000 Dong) each.
It’s all good, without being great, but more importantly, lunch is now dealt with.
The bill of 90 000 Dong is paid, reducing my stack of 200 000 Dong notes to 42. The two 50 000 Dong notes are much appreciated, due to low supplies of that flavour, and the 10 000 Dong note takes my tally of those to eleven.
The juggling act of keeping a range of notes…..
Back to the Emerald around 1.00pm for a rest and recovery session, and then out again by 3.00pm.
Quan, who we’ve met up with the last two times we’ve been here, sends a message, confirming dinner tonight.
Up to our café from yesterday, càphê nâu đá (19 000 Dong) for me, while Lisa once again goes with a coconut coffee (35 000 Dong).
Our lady from yesterday isn’t there, and the whole thing is a bit of a letdown, with not only the size of my nâu đá being greatly reduced, but the flavour is just not up to the previous.
Today is not like yesterday…..
Down towards ‘train street’, and while there were a few around yesterday, it’s nothing compared to today.
I just don’t get it.
I guess the no pedestrian access sign just adds to the colour.
The walk to nowhere in particular continues, finding a couple of small laneways, that we’ve either not walked before, or simply forgotten that we have.
It’s nice, and proof that that tourist path is indeed rather narrow, with plenty of real stuff existing not too far away from those well trodden areas.
A lane we may, or may not, have known about.
Back to the Emerald to drop Lisa off, and then up to Bat Dan.
My lady arrives, and we have a chat, before Viet Willie turns up. It is well and truly like last year, and I just love that we have this little connection.
A few beers, more familiar faces, and the usual sights.
Pyjama guy has a scruffy mate with him today, who heads over to the lotto shop for him.
He returns a few minutes later, has a beer, and then sits patiently, while he watches pyjama guy count out 500 000 Dong notes from his bulging wallet.
The scruffy guy then returns to the lotto shop, grasping the fist full of 500 000 Dong notes, before returning again, this time with a small amount of change, and what looks to be a ticket.
I’ve been mildly intrigued by PJ guy before, but that’s now gone up a level.
I would love to know his story.
In my place.
Beers done, I head back down to Stainless Steel Street, stopping of at my convenience store, where Linh is not. I really hope she’s there tomorrow, as our time is fast running out.
Into the Emerald by 6.00pm, and then a quick shower before getting back downstairs by 6.30pm, just as Quan arrives.
It’s seriously good to see him again.
A Grab is booked, and we’re soon on our way, through the streets of the Old Quarter, and then down somewhere south of the lake.
We arrive at wherever we are, and it’s a large slightly industrial looking restaurant. A very local one, with lots of surprised looks as we walk in.
Upstairs, and Quan looks after the food side of things, settling on barbequed pork and rice, amongst other things, along with plenty of beers.
Lots of chatting, including about Hanoi, with him confirming my belief that the city, and in particular the Old Quarter, has, and is, undergoing change.
The night absolutely flies, as it always does when we catch up, and before we know it, a move needs to be made.
Outside the difficult goodbye is done, and then rather than go down the sedate path of ordering a Grab car, we take the option of the far more exciting Grab bike (22 000 Dong each).
They promptly arrive, and we’re on our way, with me holding my helmet on, seeing as the clip that would ordinarily secure it to my head, is missing.
It takes me a few minutes to realise that holding it on my head is rather pointless, as if we do come off, the first thing I’m going to let go of will be the helmet.
In true local style, it’s removed.
Back into the Old Quarter, past St. Joseph’s, and down to the Emerald. Fare paid, and then Lisa turns up a minute later.
Not quite ready for the day to end, we make our way up to Bat Dan.
Usual spot taken, and as I look around, I notice some of the staff from 1984 Tattoo Studio are also here.
Including Boom, who as soon as he sees me, races over to say hello and shake my hand.
He’s a seriously lovely guy, and just comes across as so genuine, even apologising, saying he doesn’t have much English.
Again, he has more English than I have Vietnamese, and he has no need to apologise at all.
Now the wrong side of 10.00pm, we head off, but not before asking Thien if he will be here tomorrow.
He will, which is good, as it means I can put off the ‘goodbye’, but at the same time, I hate it when we start getting to this point.
Back to the Emerald for the usual, including a beer I probably don’t need.
One full day left, and apart from Jenny mentioning having lunch in the hotel again, we don’t have a great deal in the way of plans.
We shall see……
Cheers,
Scott
seriouslynot 